Diet, Worms, and New Book

I killed the worms off late April, and did OK for a while. But slowly, more mucus began coming out of my rectum, which started to bleed, more rectal pain, and then I began to feel more tired and inflamed. I went to a new naturopathic doctor, who put me back on large doses of natural anti-inflammatories. (Curcumin, green tea extract, and high dose fish oil. Plus, 4 packets of VSL#3 DS a day, l. glutamine, magnesium glycinate, amino acids, and we added glutathione and milk thistle to help detox.)

I also returned to a strict paleo diet, but only lasted 3 weeks before I caved for melted chocolate and honey, wine and popcorn, (chewed up to get the yeast, butter, and coconut oil, then spit out to avoid the fiber. ) The diet and supplements helped. I also began putting ozonated oxygen suppositories up my butt at night, and though I smell like ozone, the bleeding and mucus is subsiding.

I began B12 shots a few weeks ago, and that is helping with the on and off neuropathy and twitching. I think it was both magnesium and B12 I’ve been deficient in, among other mysterious nutrients.

But the supplements and probiotics are costing me a fortune, so I’m going back for more hookworms soon. I want to get a few more mercury amalgam fillings removed and replaced, then will fly down to San Diego and reinfect with 7-10 more hookworms so that I don’t have to be so perfect with diet and supplements.

Moises Velasquez-Marnoff wrote a quick NY Times piece on autism that is getting a lot of attention. His book, “An Epidemic of Absence” hits the shelves in November. I know I’m in a little of it, and really not looking forward to reading about my failures with worm therapy. And here I am, going back to Mexico soon for yet another dose, but this time, I have more things that I’m depending on instead of just the worms. It should be a good book, Moises is an intelligent writer and has spent a while interviewing and piecing this idea together.

I had my GI look at my rectum a few weeks ago, and had an MRI endoscopy to look at the rest of the bowel. He found mild inflammation in the rectum, and mild inflammation in the terminal ilium. I was surprised that it wasn’t worse because of my symptoms. It’s probably better now, considering I have little pain left and way less mucus, but I’m still bleeding on and off. I hope the worms put an end to all of that; when I was hosting them in early spring, I had almost no mucus at all.

My GI told me that maybe in a year, we could revisit the colostomy. He still thinks if I were reattached, I would have too much urgency, since the muscles of the rectum are still scarred and atrophied now from inactivity. But it put a little ray of hope in my hope-starved soul, so I’m going to try to find anything that heals scar tissue, since I despise this colostomy.

No pyoderma, it never returned since starting the IVIg. I put the IVig back to its largest dose – 35 grams for 4 days, monthly. But this past round, I did it at 6 weeks, and after 3 days, I couldn’t take the headache, so I didn’t take the fourth dose. I still haven’t looked into subQ therapy; I may switch to that weekly, but don’t know if it packs the anti-inflammatory punch that the IV does.

The summer has been nice; I started a pedicab business, just went out on Labor Day weekend and gave people a bunch of rides. I am sore and tired today, but proud that I could do it. Two little old ladies told me I was “quite a gal”, as I’m the only female out there in this business. Little did they know I had a colostomy strapped down under my biker shorts, and weighed 30 pounds less just a year before from surgery and infection.

So, the wormy quest for health continues. I’m looking forward to the initial high from the hookworms, since I could use the energy to paint my house before winter settles in.

I’m trying to learn my lesson that a strict diet is forever, I need to take supplements forever for good health, and am trying to enjoy when times are good and rest when they aren’t. I still want to be superwoman, though. It’s hard having this disease when your spirit is this size of a mountain and your ambition never ends. I wasn’t meant to have a disease. I’m ready to for it to end.